hey modelers,
I am having a real tough time finding railroad themed paint, locally. You know, Dulux,Tuscan Red, Boxcar Brown, Reefer White, L&N Grey, CSX Yellow, etc. I prefer to airbrush acrylics.
Any help finding this paint online would be outstanding. Thanks, so much.
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Hobby lobby , Walmart , Michaels all carry the $1 acrylic craft paint used by some of the best painters , they got every shade in the rainbow , and for the price and right in town , I have painted a lot of trains with them , Use future floor car acrylic for the gloss coat , they alsohave the acrylics in gloss . On specific hard colors I get something real close then add some other color , put adab on a trial spot and let dry to see color match , so cheap but awesome , thin them with windshield washer fluid from auto parts store $3 a gallon , cleans airbrushes fantastic too .
I’ve used Pollyscale with much success, but it seems to be difficult to find these days. For me at least.
Has anyone tried Vallejo paints? I see more and more of these paints in hobby stores. They seem to be real popular with military modelers.
https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/categoria/hobby/
Ken
I've used several brands over the past few years. Model Masters, Tamaya, Vallejo, etc. They all seem to be very close, just preference for the most part.
Scratchbuilder1-48 posted:Hobby lobby , Walmart , Michaels all carry the $1 acrylic craft paint used by some of the best painters , they got every shade in the rainbow , and for the price and right in town , I have painted a lot of trains with them , Use future floor car acrylic for the gloss coat , they alsohave the acrylics in gloss . On specific hard colors I get something real close then add some other color , put adab on a trial spot and let dry to see color match , so cheap but awesome , thin them with windshield washer fluid from auto parts store $3 a gallon , cleans airbrushes fantastic too .
Yup, me too. If airbrushing, be sure to strain the paints thru a filter screen and thin them slightly before using them in your brush. Clean out the airbrush immediately when you're done painting, or else you'll have trouble later on trying to get it cleaned out good.
I am Raddle Can Fred .
BH
Rapido sells railroad specific colors
Tru-Color Paints produces an extensive line of railroad colors. They're acrylic solvent paints.
trucolorpaint.com/products/
Good luck.
Since l build a lot of rolling stock and some large O scale structures: stamp mills, grain elevators, etc. , I used a lot of 98c rattlecans from the Wally Wasteland. They have dried up and been replaced by $4.00 gold-plated overpriced brands, or the orher choice is tiny model specific paints in N scale spray cans, and l don't like it! I am not going to fool with cleaning an airbrush. Glue, point, and press is my modeling method. Is this an import duty problem?
I thank those of you that helped me find acrylics I can use to airbrush rolling stock and locomotives. That was the only purpose for this thread. If you like painting a different way, that’s not my concern.
Don't shy away from the Model Masters acrylics if you liked shooting Polly Scale. I think the MM stuff is more consistent and not in need of thinning right out of the bottle. I am running a Paasche VL at around 20-25PSI using the size 5 tip (I think). The PS weathering colors and some basics (Reefer White, Engine Black, etc.) transferred to MM at least. These were my most commonly used colors anyway. Specific RR colors are long gone of course but I found some decent substitutes in their regular line.
Des Plaines Hobbies has a good selection of Scalecoat II paints for plastics, some which have been discontinued. Polyscale paint is good for plastics as well, but some colors seem different shades than Scalecoat.
Not much of the traditional railroad colors left out there. I get by using the acrylic craft paints found at the art supply store, even the dollar stores! Each of these recent cars I painted for my Mexicali Grande layout, were air brushed using thinned acrylic craft paint. Colors closely matched with photos. Weathering was done the same way.
Recently I've switched to Vallejo from my LHS. Been satisfied so far. MRH mag has a color cross index for picking colors.
"Acrylics" alone isn't necessarily enough info anymore. It could be a solvent or water based; enamel; latex, etc.
Water based craft paints, Apple Barrel has a tuscan at WallyWorld (matte or just maybe satin I think; so for a higher gloss would need a clear over it)
Mixing customs is pretty cheap and easy with the water based craft paints too. Mistakes? Whole paint jobs wash away with hot water, soap and a stiff brush. But not so easy that a color let set up for a week cant have a fresh topcoat removed from it without wrecking the base.
They aren't as durable and scratch pretty easy though;; clear coating helps.
Check out MODELflex paints from Badger Air-Brush Co. A whole line of RR colors.
Robert Hunt. Excellent work, a bit pricey.
Bob”O”
I didn’t realize that Modelflex paint was still around.
The shelf life wasn’t very long on this brand of paint when it first came out and I believe the formula was changed to rectify the problem. Our local shops stopped carrying the line. I remember having good results when using it, however.
I will have to look to where it maybe available in Canada
Al
Take a look at Henning's Trains, they have several lines of paint, including their own Collector Color line.
I have a really basic question regarding paints please.
Growing up 60 years ago , the only paint available for cheap in hobby stores and dime stores was Testor's Enamel Model Paint. It was a universal type of product, used on model cars, model trains, and model airplanes. It came in sets. They even sold it at the 7-11 stores, next to the little model kits display.
After a very long absence, I am now back in trains, and am surprised to find that this product has virtually disappeared from all retailers shelves, at least in my city. (I found some listed on the internet, but almost all of it is in sets, for $25 plus shipping, containing several colors that I have no interest in.)
We have a Michaels here, and I thought for sure that would carry separate bottles of it. But they don't. Instead, they have all sorts of "acrylic" paint, in manufacturer names that I have never heard of.
Is it OK to use "acrylic" paint on the trains? Is it as good as Testor's enamel? Scratchbuilder seems to like it. (The old Testor's paint never faded or flaked off of plastic. Once it was painted on, it was there to stay. It was even waterproof._)
Can anybody give me a recommended brand name at Michaels to buy?
Thanks,
Mannyrock
NEED HELP!
Just recently purchased the 1993 Lionel Pere Marquette engine and tender numbered 1201. Great engine and runs great. This is my favorite Michigan train and now I would like to get it renumbered to the original Pere Marquette number of 1225. Here in Michigan there is a custom painter and I have seen him at numerous train shows. I want HIM to change the number on this engine for me but can't seem to locate him. Does anyone know his contact number or any other info on him. I am enclosing a picture of him and his wife from a past train shows here in Michigan that I went to. If not then is there anyone local in Michigan that can change just the number on the engine without repainting the entire engine. Number are only on the cab below the window on each side.
Any info would be greatly appreciated THANKS
Lary,
I have the same picture, probably from the same show. Mike does excellent work, and his name has come up in this forum several times before.
This might help -- his last name is Packard.
Do this:
1.) Go to the Advanced Search page:
https://ogrforum.com/advancedSearch
2.) Type in his name, i.e. first and last name, in the box that says 'Exact Phrase Match'
3.) Click the 'Search' button at the bottom.
You'll see several postings back in the 2012/2013 timeframe showing some of his his work. At least one of them has his contact info.
I'd email you the specifics but I don't see your e-mail address in your profile.
Mike
I'll let Mike know about this thread. I've known him for many years. I don't believe he is taking in much custom work any longer however.
Dang, I was hoping to get him. only need to change the numbers on the 2 sides below the windows.
thanks for the info hopefully he will contact me.
Great information !!!
Thank you to all posters !!!
CB&Q Bill
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